


Keep all the wolves at bay

by lost_in_a_sea_of_fandoms



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: BAMF Greg Lestrade, BAMF John Watson, Background Case, Bullying, Greg Lestrade & John Watson Friendship, M/M, POV First Person, POV John Watson, Protective John Watson, Sebastian Wilkes Being an Asshole, Sherlock Holmes & John Watson Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-02 00:44:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16295060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_in_a_sea_of_fandoms/pseuds/lost_in_a_sea_of_fandoms
Summary: John finally loses his patience with all the people who hurl abuse at Sherlock and surprises everyone with his actions.Prompt fill.





	Keep all the wolves at bay

**Author's Note:**

> Parker314159 wrote:  
> Thoughts on maybe one w john and sherlock where john gets into a fight defending sherlock or something around those lines?? 
> 
> I loved this idea, so I wrote it. Please accept this as an apology for not posting anything in Wumptober in 4 days. I'm so sorry, guys! Life is crazy.
> 
> A/N: I hope this doesn't sound as wierd as it does to me. I realized I never write in 1st person, so I decided to change that. It's a little different than what I usually write.

Greg was giving me the Look. The Look was usually reserved for Sherlock. It was the perfect combination of anger and confusion that went so well with my crazy flatmate. I had never expected the Look to be turned in my direction. Yet here it was.  
It was all worth it to me, I thought to myself as I looked at Sherlock. His expression made my heart ache. He looked... Broken. As if his mind was still fighting with what he had learned earlier.  
Today had been hectic. Sherlock and I have been working cases together for a while now, and I have been becoming more and more aware of the abuse that was hurled at him on a daily basis. Whether it was from Anderson and Donovan, or a complete stranger on the street, he heard his fair share of curses and insults.   
He had told me, once, in quieter moment, that these insults didn't bother him. I had learned enough of his ways, however, to know that he was lying. He would never show how much people hurt him, but I could tell he smarted all the same.  
Some days were okay. He didn't reveal anyone's secret lovers, nor did he insult anyone, and so he got by with just a few choice words from Donovan. (She never passed up the chance to bully Sherlock.) Other days, however were much worse. Like today, for example.   
He had been a bit short with all of us this morning. He solved the shooting case very quickly, but without his usual snarky comments. It wasn't until later that I learned the reason behind his bad mood. Sebastian Wilkes (Yes, he of Blind Banker fame...) had asked us to attend a friend's small party this evening, as said friend suspected someone was going to steal some precious artifacts the evening of the party.  
That was what Sebastian had told us. What he had failed to inform us of, however, was that almost all of Sherlock's former classmates from uni had been invited. The very same ones that had made his life such a hell that he turned to drugs.  
As soon as we walked into the large, well decorated room, two men turned to face us. One was Wilkes, but I didn't recognize the other one. Sherlock, however, did. I felt him stiffen beside me. He didn't say anything.   
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the freak!" said the strange man. Although he spoke in a jesting tone, I could see the cruelty on his face. He looked like a cat watching a mouse.   
"I didn't expect you to be alive. I thought you would've OD'd long ago, like your old friend Victor Trevor!" The man concluded victoriously. I was seeing red. This was cruelty of the highest level. Sherlock didn't know that Victor was dead, and everyone knew it.  
Sherlock had mentioned Victor only once. In a flat, emotionless tone, he had described to me how he had fallen love with one of his classmates. How Victor was the only one who didn't make fun of him, seemed interested, even. And how Victor had introduced him to drugs and the blissful quiet that they brought for Sherlock.   
Noting my questioning glance, Sherlock answered: "Cases do the same. As long as I have a case to think of, my mind's volume is perfectly manageable."  
But now, as I caught Sherlock's eye, I was once more able to read into what he needed. (Greg could never understand how I did this - just looked at Sherlock and knew what he needed most.) I could see the fear and pain in his eyes. -Make it stop!- his eyes seemed to say.   
So, without a second thought, I stalked over to Sebastian's friend, and, with military precision, punched him in the face.   
The thief, of course, chose that exact moment to break into the house. Although I would have gladly let him steal whatever he wanted, Sherlock decided to give chase, so I followed. We had informed the Yard in advance, so Greg was waiting for us when we returned with the thief.   
As for the ugly look? Greg had been forced to deal with 20 minutes of the man's complaints and whining while he waited.  
I wasn't worried about the civil complaint the man had surely filed against me. At least not at the moment. I knew that since the case was over, I needed to get Sherlock home. The distraction that the case had offered was running out. I knew that the news of Victor's death had affected Sherlock much more than he let on. And I knew that I could help.  
xxx  
"My brother needs you much more than he would like to admit, Dr. Watson. It would cause him immeasurable pain to lose you. Please keep that in mind." Mycroft had said this to me during one of his "kidnappings", and I believed that, for once in his life, he was being completely honest. And so I kept it in mind. After all, Sherlock had saved my life-it was all I could do in return.  
As for the man I punched? I believe that Greg "accidentally" misplaced it. He told me later, over a pint of beer, that, being in my place, he would have done the same.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this! Kudos and comments really keep me going, so please do so.  
> Hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
